Movable terminal in a two terminal memory array

1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of first electrodes; at least one second electrode; and a storage medium fixed to the at least one second electrode and electrically coupled to both the plurality of first electrodes and the at least one second electrode, the storage medium having a plurality of memory elements, each memory element having a conductance that is responsive to a write voltage across one of the first electrodes and the at least one second electrode without the storage medium undergoing a phase change and without the plurality of first electrodes applying heat or force to deform a surface of the storage medium; wherein the plurality of first electrodes are movable relative to the at least one second electrode, wherein the storage medium includes a conductive metal oxide and a tunnel barrier in contact with the conductive metal oxide, forming an interface between the conductive metal oxide and the tunnel barrier, and wherein the write voltage causes oxygen ions to move across the interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tunnel barrier is AlO x .

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first electrodes experience an electrostatic force with the storage medium, the electrostatic force being useful to adaptively program the storage medium.

4. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of first electrodes; at least one second electrode; and a storage medium fixed to the at least one second electrode and electrically coupled to both the plurality of first electrodes and the at least one second electrode, the storage medium having a plurality of memory elements, each memory element having a conductance that is responsive to a write voltage across one of the first electrodes and the at least one second electrode without the storage medium undergoing a phase change and without the plurality of first electrodes applying heat or force to deform a surface of the storage medium; wherein the plurality of first electrodes are movable relative to the at least one second electrode, wherein the storage medium includes a conductive metal oxide and a tunnel barrier in contact with the conductive metal oxide, and wherein the conductive metal oxide comprises Pr 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 .

5. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of first electrodes; at least one second electrode; and a storage medium fixed to the at least one second electrode and electrically coupled to both the plurality of first electrodes and the at least one second electrode, the storage medium having a plurality of memory elements, each memory element having a conductance that is responsive to a write voltage across one of the first electrodes and the at least one second electrode without the storage medium undergoing a phase change and without the plurality of first electrodes applying heat or force to deform a surface of the storage medium; wherein the plurality of first electrodes are movable relative to the at least one second electrode and wherein the conductance of the storage medium is responsive to the write voltage through oxidation and reduction reactions.

6. An apparatus comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a microelectronic mechanical system movement mechanism that moves the first electrode relative to the second electrode; wherein a read current across the electrodes is indicative of stored data; wherein a first write voltage across the electrodes is effective to store a first data value and a second write voltage across the electrodes is effective to store a second data value, the first data value and the second data value are stored without surface deformation created by the application of heat or force by the first electrode or the second electrode, wherein a tunnel barrier is disposed between the two electrodes, and wherein the first write voltage causes oxygen ions to move out of the tunnel barrier and the second write voltage causes oxygen ions to move into the tunnel barrier.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first electrode is a cantilevered probe.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the tunnel barrier is fixed to the first electrode.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the tunnel barrier is fixed to the second electrode.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of first electrodes, wherein each first electrode is separately controllable, such that different first electrodes can be held to different voltages at the same time.

11. An apparatus comprising: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a microelectronic mechanical system movement mechanism that moves the first electrode relative to the second electrode, wherein a read current across the electrodes is indicative of stored data; wherein a first write voltage across the electrodes is effective to store a first data value and a second write voltage across the electrodes is effective to store a second data value, wherein the voltage across the electrodes is not sufficient to cause a phase change of any materials disposed between the electrodes and the first data value and the second data value are stored without the application of heat or force by the first electrode or the second electrode and without deforming a surface of the any materials disposed between the electrodes, wherein the materials disposed between the electrodes includes a conductive metal oxide and a tunnel barrier in contact with the conductive metal oxide, and wherein the first write voltage causes oxygen ions to move from the conductive metal oxide into the tunnel barrier and the second write voltage causes oxygen ions to move from the tunnel barrier into the conductive metal oxide.